A novel risk assessment model for work-related musculoskeletal disorders in tea harvesting workers

Tatar V., Yazicioglu O., AYVAZ B.

Journal of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems, vol.44, no.2, pp.2305-2323, 2023 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 44 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2023
  • Doi Number: 10.3233/jifs-222652
  • Journal Name: Journal of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Applied Science & Technology Source, Business Source Elite, Business Source Premier, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, Computer & Applied Sciences, INSPEC, Metadex, zbMATH, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.2305-2323
  • Keywords: Risk assessment, Fine-Kinney method, Spherical fuzzy sets, Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), AHP-TOPSIS
  • İstanbul Ticaret University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are the most common occupational health problems in agriculture workers due to repetitive and excessive force movement activities involved in their job processes. The Fine-Kinney method has been commonly used as a quantitative evaluation method in risk assessment studies. Classically, the risk value via Fine-Kinney is calculated by the mathematical multiplication irrespective of the degree of importance of each risk parameter (probability (P), exposure (E), and consequence (C)). Hence, a novel risk management model was proposed based on integrating Fine-Kinney and spherical fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS. First, each risk parameter is weighted using the spherical fuzzy AHP (SF-AHP). Second, the spherical fuzzy TOPSIS (SF-TOPSIS) method is used for hazard ranking. The proposed model is applied to evaluate risks in tea harvesting workers for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Subsequently, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to test the proposed model. Finally, we compare the proposed model's applicability and effectiveness with the spherical fuzzy COmbinative Distance-based ASsessment (SF-CODAS) method based on Fine-Kinney. The ranking similarity between the proposed Fine-Kinney-based SF-TOPSIS and SF-CODAS methods is checked by applying Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, in which 92% of rankings are matched.